1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to computerized systems and methods for analyzing student performance and providing feedback regarding the student performance, for example, to a school official, parent, or student.
2. Description of the Related Technology
An alternative approach to the traditional language-based education uses spatial temporal reasoning, which involves making a mental image and projecting it ahead in space and time by performing a temporal sequence of spatial operations on that image. Spatial temporal software can be used to help persons learn math, science or other educational concepts by using a spatial temporal approach. Spatial temporal software includes, but is not limited to, software games designed to train students to use spatial temporal abilities to conceptually learn and understand educational concepts, for example, math or science. “Keeping Mozart in Mind” by Gordon L. Shaw, Ph.D. (Academic Press 2000), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, provides some examples of spatial temporal software. Spatial temporal software includes a broader range of software than described in Gordon L. Shaw's book and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/319,254 (see “Related Applications” above).
In some situations, spatial temporal software teaches math or science concepts to persons who failed to learn math concepts through the traditional language-based approach. However, the standardized test scores of those persons may fail to reflect their knowledge of those concepts. In addition, the spatial temporal software may fail to teach the desired concepts, for example, due to refinements needed to the software or because additional help of the instructor is needed by the student. Raw test scores are not very helpful in identifying or determining potential causes or solutions to learning deficiencies. Instead, detailed analysis of student performance and feedback in the form of recommendations is most helpful to enhancing the learning process.
Accordingly, methods and systems are needed to analyze student performance and provide feedback regarding the student performance, for example, to an instructor, other school official, parent or directly to the student. The methods and systems should communicate in real time with the educational program, for example, math or science games, quizzes or tests, to provide contemporaneous feedback to the instructor on student performance. In this way, any assistance or additional instruction can be provided to the student on the spot, or the student can be allowed to continue on to a next game or quiz if the current game or quiz has been mastered. In addition, the methods and systems should evaluate and provide feedback regarding effectiveness of the educational program itself, and track progress at a student, class, or school level over a multitude of different durations and time periods. Still further, the methods and systems should perform comprehensive data analysis and statistical computations. The various embodiments of the present invention described herein seek to satisfy these and other needs in the technology.